I've recently had some serious problems with a Hyundai 16 valve engine that cost me dearly. My question is there a Ford 4 cyl. engine that uses push tube and rocker assembly or something that is more durable and maintenance free than the overhead belt drive systems. I am looking for a used economy car in the mid '90s. If someone has some recomendations, I do like Ford products, but will consider alternatives if they are durable. I know all the change the belt at whatever miles stories but I want never want to see one of those belts again.
bjr23

 

No. The last rocker arm / pushrod engine that I know of was the 1600cc Kent engine used in the Fiesta & Pinto in the middle to late '70s. Other than that, they were OHC jobs. Unless you want to go to a V-6 truck...
The 2.3 Lima is a non-interference engine, so if the belt breaks, you just get to walk farther. go to http://www.gates.com/ and poke around under their products guide for a list of engines and their piston-valve interference status. If you can't find it, post back & I'll look it up..
tom

 

2.3/2.5L HSCs are the latest push rod
4cyl engines, came in the late 80's
early 90's Tempo/Topaz, very reliable
engines...

Steve & the Rockette
'63 F100
'68 F100
'72 Capri 2L
'73 Capri 2.6L V6
'73 MG B GT 2.6L V6(Ford)
'98 Contour SVT 2.5L V6, That blowed up real good...
'01 ZX2 (No Mods yet)

 

Dang, forgot all about them. My wife hadda Taurus with the 2.5. The gray beast, with all seats filled, would get on the freeway and just go. Seemed like it was accelerating slowly, but in actuality, you were there and up to 65 before you knew it. Had that awful 3-speed auto trans. Had to be rebuilt 3X's before FoMoCo finally got it right. 'spensive for them, luckily. It should just drop in place of the 2.3 HSC in the Tempo/Topaz, and fool a lot of people. The 2.3 did have a bad rep for cracking its heads. All of a sudden, you'd need to add coolant. Got one that was newer than any of my cars for $300 that a friends daughter had run low on coolant when the $20 water pump let go and she didn't fix it. Now the head had cracked... $250 later, all is back together.
They were based on the 144-170-200ci 6-cyl of Falcon Maverick Mustang vintage, if I am not mistaken. Now, that was a rock solid engine, except for the cast in intake manifold.
tom

 

>2.3/2.5L HSCs are the latest push rod
>4cyl engines, came in the late 80's
>early 90's Tempo/Topaz, very reliable
>engines...

What is HSC? I have an Escort manual from '81-84 that shows a 2.3 L pushrod four. Also, as mentioned above the 1600 cc pinto had pushrods, but there were two fourbangers in the Ford Courrier pickup in the 70s with chain driven OHC, the Mazda truck had a 1600, the Ford had an 1800 that was later upped to 2000, both Fords had chain drive and I assume the Mazda did too.

INLINE SIX POWER! '95 F150 XL
300 Cubic Inches of Low RPM Truck Torque! And twin-I-beams too!
"Drive a stick young man! There'll be time for automatics when you're old and unable."

 

The Hemipherical Swirl Combustion Heads were what I believe the Turaus and the Tempo/Topaz cars had in them and they were push rod motors, w aluminum heads, which is why they had cooling problems w them as well as the 3.8 V6, and as everyone knows when you get alumunim hot it bends!! And yes the newer heads are still aluminum, but have vastly superior cooling passages in them. But they still blow head gaskets twice as often as Iron..Macs

 

i didnt need to know 2.3's wer bad for cracked heads. ive got one setting outside that pours the water out faster than i can put it in in with the engine off.

 

I never heard about the heads cracking- just bearings and the trannys. I have one sitting at my girlfriend's house that needs bearings, and the tranny slips. The bearings are so bad the pistons hit the head.

Jared